Case Number 21013: Small Claims Court

EMERGENCY! THE FINAL RESCUES

The Charge

Rampart...we've got some questionable series left-overs...STAT!

The Case

When it finally left the air in 1977, Emergency! was a Top 30 TV
viewer favorite. Conceived by Jack Webb and produced by his company, Mark VII
Limited, it was a companion piece of sorts to the famed Dragnet star's
other civil servant showcases (including the equally popular Adam-12).
Using Southern California as a backdrop and the danger-filled lives of
firefighters, paramedics, and triage medical staff as his catalyst, the series
centered on LA County Fire Station 51 and two of its manly members -- John Gage
(Randolph Mantooth) and Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) -- and their interactions with
the doctors and nurses -- Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller), Nurse Dixie McCall
(Julie London), and Dr. Joe Early (Bobby Troup) -- of the local Rampart
Hospital. Typically dealing with two to three traumas per episode, the hour long
drama delved deep into search and rescue techniques, current scientific
breakthroughs, and the plentiful personality issues of the players. At the
conclusion of its five year run, the desire for more Emergency! (and
money) led to a series of special one-off Movies of the Week. It is those six
extended episodes that are features on this DVD.

Spread out over two discs and using differing locales and an larger
production palette, here are the storylines covered by these titles:

Disc One

* "The Steel Inferno" A high rise office building catches
fire, and it is up to Gage and DeSoto to save the day.

* "Survival on Charter #220" Two planes collide over a Los
Angeles neighborhood, testing the limits of resolve for Gage, DeSoto and the
off-duty "C" Shift.

* "Most Deadly Passage" While in Seattle, Gage and Desoto
must deal with a ferry fire, a daredevil with a death wish, and a man trapped
atop the King Dome.

Disc Two

* "Greatest Rescues of Emergency!" After being promoted,
Gage and DeSoto reminisce about some of their greatest accomplishments.

* "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing..." An educational
seminar in San Francisco turns into business as usual as Gage and DeSoto must
rescue someone from the Golden Gate bridge.

* "The Convention" Gage and DeSoto are in San Francisco
again, dealing with a lab fire, a choking victim, a sniper, and a newborn
baby.

Emergency! could have easily been subtitled Earnest! Jack
Webb, ever the vigilant conservative conformist, wanted to make sure that no one
said a bad thing about the men and women in civil uniform and used showcases
like Adam-12 and this to make his Establishment case. Kids loved the
shows because they were clandestine Westerns, cops and robbers, good guys and
bad guys pitted against each other in formulaic morality plays where the wicked
weren't allowed to even think of prospering. Gurneys took the places of horses
and will was the weapon of choice. In the case of Emergency!, the risks
taken by those who would thwart danger and save lives were highlighted and
turned super-heroic, limited by a '70s standards and practices production value,
but little else. While not quite propaganda, shows like this tended to take all
the depth out of the job of saving lives, allowing minor character elements such
as love and lifestyle to flitter in and out before once again retreating to the
narrative back burner.

The six shows here walk the fine line between Irwin Allen disaster epic and
standard boob tube boredom. Action has sure come a long way in the three-plus
decades since these shows were produced. Even on the small screen circa 2011,
the rudimentary nuts and bolts blandness of Emergency! is hard to get a
handle on. Even with a bigger scope, it's still a couple of actors playing
pseudo-savior. Mantooth and Tighe are good, but they don't bring a lot of
swagger to the mix. Instead, they are routine and right-minded, something Webb
would have wanted. As for the rest of the cast, they make limited appearances
here. Indeed, at least one of the shows -- "Most Deadly Passage" --
was an attempt to get a Pacific Northwest version of the series off the ground
with a whole new company. Overall, the quality is standard '70s TV series --
flat, formulaic, and filled with recognizable (if not wholly name) guest stars.
Sure, it's fun to see the guys outside the confines of Rampart, but for the most
part, that's all Emergency! really was: these guys. Even a bigger and
more expensive canvas doesn't mean a more compelling experience.

As for the DVD, Universal does a decent job with both the sound and image.
The picture looks pretty good for something ranging in age from 34 to 31 years
old. Only the commercial fade-ins/outs show any real color loss wear and tear.
There are scratches and dirt defects, but for the most part, the 1.33:1 full
screen transfer is just fine. Similarly, the Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 Mono means
we get the same aural elements coming out of both speakers. No separation or
significance -- just dialogue and the occasional sound effects. As for added
content, apparently nine hours of past broadcast entertainment is more than
enough for the Emergency! die hard, meaning there are no extras included
here.

While there's no doubting that it's wholesome throwback entertainment,
something like Emergency! doesn't translate well to an ADD-addled
nu-media constituency. Heck, YouTube features more harrowing footage than some
of the stuff found here. If you like your TV old fashioned and flaccid, this is
the series for you. Even in TV movie form, Emergency! is
unexceptional.